Denzil Keelor

Air Marshal Denzil Keelor PVSM, KC, AVSM, VrC (born 7 December 1933) is a retired air officer of the Indian Air Force and a hero of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.[1] He had a younger brother, Trevor, who was also honoured for his service in the Indian Air Force. The brothers were both awarded the Vir Chakra for shooting down Pakistan Air Force Sabres.[1]

Air Marshal

Denzil Joseph Keelor

PVSM, KC, AVSM, VrC
Born (1933-12-07) 7 December 1933
Lucknow, British India
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Air Force
Years of service1954 - 1991
Rank Air Marshal
Service number4805
Commands heldMaharajpur Air Force Station
Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment
4 Squadron
Battles/warsIndo-Pakistani War of 1965
Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Kirti Chakra
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vir Chakra
RelationsWing Commander Trevor Keelor (brother)

Early Life

Keelor was born on 7 December 1933 to Elizabeth and Charles Keelor in Lucknow. He attended the La Martiniere Lucknow.

Military Career

Keelor was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on 6 November 1954. He scored a kill during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Vir Chakra

Denzil Keelor's first award was the Vir Chakra in 1965. The citation for the Vir Chakra reads as follows:[2][3]

Gazette Notification: 133 Pres/65, 22-9-65

Operation: 1965 Riddle Date of Award: 19 Sep 1965

CITATION

SQUADRON LEADER DENZIL KEELOR

(4805) GD (P)

On the 19th September 1965, Squadron Leader Denzil Keelor was providing fighter escort to Mystere aircraft during a strike mission in the operations against Pakistan. His section of four Gnat aircraft was engaged by four enemy Sabre jet aircraft and the battle was fought at a height of less than 2000 feet from the ground where enemy anti-aircraft guns were also active. Under his guidance, his sub-section leader shot down a Sabre jet aircraft. Thereafter Squadron Leader Keelor himself engaged another Sabre Jet and crippled it.

Throughout the operations Squadron Leader Denzil Keelor was a source of inspiration to his pilots and ground personnel. His courage and devotion to duty were in the best traditions of the Indian Air Force.

Keelor took command of the 4 Squadron in early January 1973. The squadron was based out of Tezpur Air Force Station. In 1977, he took over as the Commandant of the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), the premier training establishment of the Indian Air Force which trains the best fighter pilots in aerial combat.[4]

Kirti Chakra

The citation for the Kirti Chakra reads as follows:[5]

Date of Award: 27 Mar 1978

CITATION

GROUP CAPTAIN DENZIL KEELOR, VrC

(4805) FLYING (PILOT)

On the 19th September 1965, Squadron Leader Denzil Keelor was providing fighter escort to Mystere aircraft during a strike mission in the operations against Pakistan. His section of four Gnat aircraft was engaged by four enemy Sabre jet aircraft and the battle was fought at a height of less than 2000 feet from the ground where enemy anti-aircraft guns were also active. Under his guidance, his sub-section leader shot down a Sabre jet aircraft. Thereafter Squadron Leader Keelor himself engaged another Sabre Jet and crippled it.

Throughout the operations Squadron Leader Denzil Keelor was a source of inspiration to his pilots and ground personnel. His courage and devotion to duty were in the best traditions of the Indian Air Force.

From 1980 to 1982, Keelor served as the Air attaché at the Embassy of India in Paris, France in the rank of Air Commodore. He later took over command of the Maharajpur Air Force Station as Air Officer Commanding. Keelor was awarded with the Ati Vishist Seva Medal on 26 January 1986 and the Param Vishist Seva Medal on 26 Jan 1989.[6]

He retired in 1991. Following his retirement he worked as the President of the YMCA for ten years. He was the chairman of Special Olympics Bharat.[7]

Awards and Decorations
Param Vishisht Seva Medal Kirti Chakra
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vir Chakra Wound Medal
General Service Medal
Samar Seva Star
Poorvi Star
Paschimi Star
Raksha Medal
Sangram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal
Videsh Seva Medal
25th Anniversary of Independence Medal
30 Years Long Service Medal
20 Years Long Service Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal
gollark: If they were something you showed other people, they would just be written mostly for signalling and ignored.
gollark: It's definitely a time of day here.
gollark: Nope. It's often socially acceptable to be mean to people if they're in a different political group.
gollark: Not actually work through the moral implications of something.
gollark: In practice I think people will just try and work out the maximally socially acceptable answer.

References
  1. Sabre Killers- Keelor Brothers Denzil Keelor at Mangalorean.com Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine accessed June 2007
  2. "SQUADRON LEADER DENZIL KEELOR | Gallantry Awards". gallantryawards.gov.in.
  3. "Vir Chakra (VrC), Awardee: Air Mrshl Denzil Keelor, PVSM, KC, AVSM, VrC, VM @ TWDI". twdi.in.
  4. "Service Record for Air Marshal Denzil Joseph Keelor 4805 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com". Bharat Rakshak.
  5. "GROUP CAPTAIN DENZIL KEELOR VrC | Gallantry Awards". gallantryawards.gov.in.
  6. 'Sabre Killers – Keelor Brothers' from Old Martinians' UK Archived 27 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine accessed July 2007
  7. "Special Olympics Bharat" (PDF).
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